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Your Views Wednesday, Aug. 1

Regarding Julie Burkhart's op-ed (Point of View, July 21) stating that abortion is a human right: I say, the right to life trumps the right to liberty. I hope she will soon realize this truth and get out of the abortion business, for her own good.

Pat Read, Oklahoma City

A quick legal fight?

Jabar Shumate, after three rewarding years with the University of Oklahoma and a very high-paying job compensated at about $213,000 per year, is no longer employed with OU. Few Oklahomans, or Americans, have ever received that amount of annual pay. OU's new president took the high road and allowed the school to say Shumate “resigned and the university accepted his resignation.” However, Shumate claims he was fired and that allegations by OU “constitute a high-tech lynching.” In defense of its position, OU has had to make public that an audit of Shumate's department “revealed a significant misuse of university assets.” It's possible this legal battle will come to a quick conclusion.

Roger Jackson, Oklahoma City

Unacceptable attack

As an elected official, vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and chairman of the Black Legislative Caucus, it is incumbent upon me to stand when there are injustices. I find it problematic that the University of Oklahoma would take such drastic measures against former Sen. Jabar Shumate before providing an in-depth investigation of these allegations. There were organizational changes made prior to this assertion including a change in Shumate's reporting responsibility as chief diversity officer.

Sen. Shumate is a man of ethics, integrity and principle. He has dedicated his life to the service of disadvantaged and underserved Oklahomans. He does not deserve to be treated in such a disrespectful and discriminatory manner. The way he was forced to leave OU and the recent attacks on his work and character are unacceptable. These events give me great pause regarding the direction of President Jim Gallogly's administration at OU. I hope the university appreciates the gravity of this conflict and how imperative it is for an immediate and amicable conclusion to these very damaging and troubling actions.

State Rep. George Young, Oklahoma City

Get us out

NATO was created by the United Nations following World War II. Because NATO was created by the U.N., there was a self-serving motive: The United States would have its national sovereignty reduced and therefore be unable to protect its own interests. It would end our noninterventionist foreign policy and tie us to Europe permanently. The U.S. Constitution gives only Congress the power to declare war and deploy our troops. Since the creation of NATO, all our wars have been fought under the authority or command of the U.N., NATO, or SEATO (a short-lived Southeast Asian Treaty Organization). NATO serves the one-world government goals of the United Nations, not the goals of our constitutional republic to be independent, free from outside tyranny and oppression. Get us out of NATO and the U.N.!

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Susan Goodman, Jones

Irrelevant factors

Regarding “Embrace of single-payer ignores financial reality” (Our Views, July 26): The reason socialist/liberals continue to ignore the financial realities of instituting a single-payer system here in the United States is because, when it comes to domestic policy, not a single logical brain cell resides within their minds. Every policy initiative they support comes strictly from within their hearts. Logic and math are irrelevant, as are unintended consequences. All can be fixed after the fact (see the Affordable Care Act). The way conservatives can counter this socialist cancer is to rub the noses of voters into the tax policies that would have to be instituted to support socialist policies, and the abysmal history of socialism worldwide.

Aaron Adkins, Oklahoma City

Blame the correct people

Regarding "Highway patrol fatal crashes questioned" (Tulsa World, July 29): People need to realize these crashes are not caused by the Highway Patrol. They're caused by drivers running from the Highway Patrol. Parents, teachers, guardians and the public need to teach respect of law enforcement officers, not to break the law and not to run from law enforcement at any time. If you aren't breaking the law, you have no reason to run.

Put the blame on the correct people.

Laura McCormick, Weatherford

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Your View -- Letter to the Editor

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